Help sought in investigation of Greenfield fires

GREENFIELD — The Office of the State Fire Marshal and Greenfield fire chief are asking residents in the Deerfield Street area and southeast Greenfield to be vigilant and for any leads in an old string of possible arsons.

Investigators are looking into a series of suspicious fires involving trash, mattresses and unoccupied homes in the neighborhood around Deerfield, Washington, Davis and James streets, according to a release from fire marshal’s spokeswoman Jennifer Mieth.

“They are still under active investigation, the investigators really believe that somebody in the community may have some information that could help them pull some of these fires together,” Mieth said, urging anyone who sees anyone hanging around vacant properties, particularly after dark, to call 911 right away.

A vacant home burned on James Street in November, the other fires occurred in the summer and in 2012, Mieth said but there have been no new fires since the new year.

In cases of suspected arson, the fire marshal’s office offers a reward of up to $5,000 through the state ArsonWatch Rewards Fund for information leading to an arrest or indictment. The number for the confidential hotline is 800-682-9229.